Pinched out of the line by the closure of the Falaise Pocket the 2nd Infantry Division reoriented into the Brittany Campaign and siege of Brest.
Brest was one of the most important ports in France, and had served as a base for German U-Boats that had long wreaked havoc on Allied shipping.
It was heavily fortified and stoutly defended by paratroopers, infantry and naval personnel, and required prolonged and deliberate attack to secure.
The Americans mustered three divisions for this arduous task, the 2nd, 8th and 29th Infantry Divisions, in addition to artillery, naval and air support.
On 21 August elements of the 2nd Infantry Division attacked to seize Hill 154, heavily entrenched key terrain over watching the southern approaches into the city and harbor.
After savage fighting using flamethrowers, demolitions, and direct and indirect fires, the division carried Hill 154 on 23 August, and one of its infantry battalions earned the Distinguished Unit Citation in the process.
Brest itself finally fell on 19 September.